The effect of field conditions on low Reynolds number flow in a wetland.

Stormwater runoff has been an environmental concern since the 1980s. Green infrastructure, such as constructed stormwater wetlands (CSWs), is a tool in stormwater management, however, little is known about the hydraulic diffusion processes that impact water quality in low flow, laminar (i.e. baseflow) conditions. Diffusion provides the mechanisms that distribute and mix water through a CSW and therefore how pollutants will be spread through the CSW impacting the water quality. Laboratory experiments were performed by Nepf, H.M., Sullivan, J.A., Zavistoski, R.A. [1997. A model for diffusion within emergent vegetation. Limnology and Oceanography, 42(8), 1735-1745], and Serra, T., Fernando, H.J.S., Rodriquez, R.V. [2004. Effects of emergent vegetation on lateral diffusion in wetland. Water Research, 38(1), 139-147] to examine the effect of plant density on diffusion in laminar flow conditions. Nepf, H.M. [1999. Drag, turbulence, and diffusion in flow through emergent vegetation. Water Resources Research, 35(2), 479-489] proposed a model predicting the diffusion coefficient based upon the plant density for both laminar and turbulent flow conditions. The present study examines the effect of field conditions on diffusion in a laminar flow field and verifies the diffusion model created by Nepf, H.M. [1999. Drag, turbulence, and diffusion in flow through emergent vegetation. Water Resources Research, 35(2), 479-489]. The results from the present study show that the laminar flow model, based solely on mechanical diffusion, is not sufficient for field conditions and the total diffusion model must be used. The variability in flow conditions and stem diameter found in the field produce pockets of turbulence and dead zones that must be considered to predict the diffusion coefficients in low flow CSWs. A sensitivity analysis of the dead zone term shows that the laboratory, field and diffusion models lie within an acceptable theoretical range for the observed or predicted diffusion coefficient. In addition, a model was created using the Danish Hydraulic Institutes Mike 21 software. Model results indicate that non-uniform velocities significantly affect the diffusion coefficient and a range of diffusion coefficients should be considered when designing CSWs.